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THE

OMENTAL ART
F

CHARMING HORSES
AND

COLTS:
CONTAINING

FULL INSTRUCTION IN RAISING. BREAKING, TRAINIVG

HIDING, DRIVING, STABLING. FEEDING,

AND

DOCTORING HORSES.

By CHARLES

J.

ELDRIDGE.

Jk^{ Hi

CINCINNATI:
PRINTED AND SOLD FOR THE PUBLISHER,
A'flflE PKIjMiiNG OFFICE
S.

E.

COR. SYC. & THIKD.

1857,

T8

*7

fl

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by

ISAAC
In the Clerk's Office

A.

PITTMAN,
Southern District oi Ohio.

for the

<r

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

The

hors is the most noble and the most useful of the doIt is only in a few localities, and under mestic animals. a few circumstances, that any other beast of burden can compare with him for usefulness; while for gracefulness and speed of motion, and for beauty and s^metry of form, the Ox, the Camel, the Ass, the Mule, the Elephant, are all completely and forever eclipsed. I need offer no other apology, then, for presenting to the the result of over thirty years expublic this little volume perience in the raising and training of this animal, and the study of the best authors on the same subject. I Let none say I have misled them by my title. shall give you all, there is of the Oriental, or Arabian Art If what they call magic is only the of Charming Horses.

practice of scientific principles, that is no fault of mine. It is the fault or the blindness of the Orientals themselves,

magic or supernatural agency that which performed by natural means and it is our fault if we believe such antiquated superstitions. Nor is it any deception to designate the method of training vicious horses and colts, as set forth in this pamphlet, Charming may be practiced by by the term charming. natural as well as supernatural means; and there is no doubt but the Arabians and other Orientalists did all their charming on precisely the principle herein set forth; though they pretended it was done by supernatural means, and though they might have been innocent in the belief that their success in taming the wild and vicious horse committed to their charge depended on the particular terms of jargon which they whispered in his ear. Nor do those who travtrse the country giving lessons in the Oriental or Arabian Art of taming wild and vicious
in

attributing to
is

caR be and

IV

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

any unwarrantable deception. They do they promise, and more. They not only teach the entire Oriental method of taming the horse, but they rob it of its antiquated mysticisms, absurdities and difficulties r they show that what has heretofore been considered difficult and complicated, can be explained on natural principles, and is easy to the comprehension and practice of every owner of a horse. The truth is, the Horse has been a misunderstood and much abused animal. Indeed he has not been treated as an animal, but rather as a stump which could be hewn down with an ax and molded by the chissei into any desirableshape or as a block of marble, quarried out by a charge of powder, tumbled along through the streets to the workshop of the artist, to be by him hammered, chisseled, cut and carved into an equestrian statue. If we succeed, as we think we shall, in establishing the claims of the Horse to an animal nature, and/m showing how that nature may be most successfully subdued and rendered subservient to the
horses, practica
all
;

uses of ceived,

infinitely

man, we shall claim, whether we receive it or net, more credit than the Charmers of the Orient re-

who shrouded the science in the veil of darkness and mysticism, while they left they astonished beholder of their peiformances, untaught and unenlightened in the
of theirpielended divinations.

modus operandi

AUTUCR-

PART
mE
We have often

THE ORIENTAL ART.

TRSJE PHILOSOPHY.

read of the wonderful power which the Arabs and other Orientals have over the horse; of their taking them wild from the native forests, and by supernatural, or magic influence, training them not only to the common,
sible variety of feats, tricks,

purposes of usefulness, but teaching them the greatest posand wonderful performances; of their whispering to the horse as if he possessed the spirit of some departed worthy, and they were in confidence consulting and communicating with him. We have read, too, of the ' black art,' and the astoundhave ing miracles said to be performed by its means. seen persons, even in this enlightened age, who professed to believe in it; nay, more, we once met a livery stable loafer who undertook to palm himself off on us as a thor-

We

ough practitioner of

this Art, (?)

and

offered his services

at a round price, in the business of charming, conquering

and subduing the wildest and most ungovernable horses that might be brought to him for that purpose. Those who will believe such wild and superstitious notions, need itlhemselves to be tamed, and instructed into the first principles of modern science, and they deserve no pity if they are occasionally mot essentially humbugged.
But that the Arabians and many Europeans and Americans have been wonderfully successful in breaking colts, taming vicious and ungovernable horses, and teaching them a great variety of tricks and performances, is an undisput* ed truth and that the manner of doing this is well worthy of being called an Art, is equally true.
;

THE ORIENTAL

that has witnessed the astonishing performances of noble animal in the Circus, but has at times almost attributed it to the possession of the human intellect; and all will admit that the instinct and tractability of the horse, are of the highest order of the brute creation. Yet such power over the horse and we had almost said any horse, but there is as much difference in horses as in men can be possessed by any one who will practice a fewplainand simple rules. What, then, is the Arabian or Black Art of charming Horses? apprehend it may all be summed up in patience, perseverance, kindness. three short words The Arabian has all these, and in addition, what too many in this country of luxury and extravagance, do not have an abundance of time. The Arabian, and those who have pretended to practice the Black Art, are in the habit of spending much time in the company of the Horse. They ride the horse brush, curry and comb the horse; caress and fondle the horse; talk, whistle, sing to the hone ; and, what too many are never known to do, Love the horse. By these various and continued means they obtain a wonderful power over any one of the race that may be placed under their charge. It matters but little to the horse whether his master whistles Yankee Doodle, or the tune that the old cow died on ;' or whether he talks plain English, French, German, or the hog-Latin gibberish of ghosts and hob-goblins, Gipthis

Who

We

sies, tle

Charmers or Soothsayers. The great point is to whissomething, and to say something in the most agreeable

friendly manner. It is the manner f the master, and The not the mailer, that interests and pleases the horse. horse does not understand the English Language as laid down by Murray and Webster, but he understands the di^ ference between a friendly and an unfriendly tone o,f voice

and

as readily as a child.
assert then and without fear of contradiction, thU whole secret of training hordes, whether practiced by Arabians, Gipsies, Black Art performers, livery stable loungers or the worthy and honorable horseman, lies in perseverance, kind and patient instruction, according to the principles which we shall further illustrate in this volume,

We

the

as

we progress with our

subject.

HOUSE CHA1MI8.

EARLY TRAINING.
horses are mainly valuable for their utility to man, apparent that the full development of the physical system of the animal is not all that needs to be secured,

Aa

it is

though that is necessarily the primary department, upon which all else is to be based. The best developed animal might be so yicious as to be entirely valueless though it i a rule, that development of form and of disposition correspond to each other. Yet, the horse being one of the most intelligent of the animal creation, and easily trained into objectionable as well as desirable habits, it behooves every one having the care of young horses and colts, to guard carefully the influences brought to bear upon their disposition. The usual custom throughout the West has been to let them run wild almost, until three or four years not a regular system of old, and then put them through 'breaking,' but such exercises as the disposition of the master might dictate^ at the moment, and which often exhibited far more of the spleen and irritability, impatience, and violence of temper of the man, than of care for the horse. Almost the first experience of life the colt gets, after he has learned the use of his legs, is a pelting with small stones, clods, sticks, or switches, froaa mischievous boys,
;

who
and

delight in his infantile antics to avoid his persecutors;

thus, from the
to be
first, he learns to look upon man as an dreaded and avoided, while evil disposings to

enemy

&c, and ill nature gene-rally, are forced upon him. Age and strength accumulate, and with th.em ill treatment, (for the amusement of its masters it may be, or by virtueof theirthoughtlessdisregard of causes and effects,)
kick, strike,
uutil,

when

the difficult

large and old enough to become serviceable, and dangerous process of 'breaking becomes
7

necessary. And it too often happens, that when this is well done, as all admit it should be, the horse is really broken, and has lost all that spirit and nobleness so much admired in this truly noble animal. The whole idea of 'breaking' implies, in fact, a necessary evil, is part of the same philosophy which once made our school-houses depositories of birch, and theaters of tragic cruelty a philosophy which, thanks to enlightened progress, is rapidly passing away.
;

THE ORIENTAL

The colt should be accustomed to kindness, and gentle, yet firm handling, from the first, and in this manner learn perfect obedience to his master's will. The halter may, indeed should be, placed upon him when quite young, and he should learn to be guided by it in any direction, and with ease and as he grows up, one lesson after another may be added, as the owner's wishes or fancy may dictate, until, when the time comes that his services are demanded, he is ready trained for the service, educated in the way he
;

should go, and will walk therein. The whole process should be one of careful avoidance of influences tending to create bad habits, teaching the animal what it will be required to know, before that requisition comes, and by education supersede the necessity for the unphilosophical,

and often brutal

'

breaking.'
careful training during growth, are

It affords the best possible means of developing the animal in every respect ? keeps him un der the constant care of the owner, and induces him to think and reason upon what he does.-r-creates a sympathy, so to term it, between them, which elevates the character of both. It prevents the vicious habits usually engendered from carelessness of the owner, and which can not always be eradicated, and avoids the cruelty and abuse of break* ing.' The horse may be made tractable, reliable, and safe, without having his energy and spirit crushed out of him and he may be noble, active and proud in his movements, without being restive, irritable, and treacherous, and as a consequence, will be more easily kept in fine condition and good health. It is only a continuation of the principles of breeding, extended to the full development of the animal, here advocated and, while all cannot be equally successful in this, as in any other of the pursuits of life, all will
'

The advantages of many and important.

h-e

more
it.

successful, and richly rewarded for their efforts to

The principle reasons for the general untrained character of horses, seems to be the lack of any systematic effort at training, and the uncontrolled passions of those who have the handling and care of horses. It is no uncommon thing to see angry bipeds venting their passion upon unoffending animals, as the most convenient recipient And such scenes are not confined to the street, of their ire.
attain

HORSE CHARMER.
the highway, or the farm

The effects but are found in all. ; are mischievous, and ruinous to the best interests of the owner, because injuring and depreciating in value his prop*
erty in the market.

Horse education,

really,

is

market-

able commodity, and

in dollars

may

be, indeed always

is,

estimated

and cents.

TAMING A VICIOUS HORSE.

In nine cases out of ten, those who undertake to tame a vicious horse do the very things they ought not to do, while the things they ought to do they do not. While in the city of Boston, in the year 1836, I was, in company with several others, shown a beautiful, spotted horse, about eight years old, and well worth, if faultless, one hundred and fifty dollars, which it was said by the honest salesman no man could ride, or drive in a chaise, (a two-wheel vehicle much used formerly at the East.) Mr. A. said he would try him, and gave sixty dollars for the noble animal, which could not have been purchased for twice that sum, had he borne a reputation for good behavior. He led the horse home, about eight miles from the city, by the side of another, put him in the stable, fed him, and retired for the night. The next morning he went to the stable ' to break the d :1 horse, or his own neck,' to As he approached the horse, he use his own expression remarked in a somewhat triumphant and defiant tone, So, ho, you are the fellow that allows no one to straddle your '11 see whether you c*n shake me off back, are you ? as easy as you have some others if vou do, you will be the first horse that ever shook m j from his back.' It really seemed as if tho hor-e knew the substance of the remarks made in his hearing, by the motion of his head, the manner in which he stepped from one side of the stall to the other, and various other indications of uneasiness and suspicion. At any rate, whether he comprehended the language of his n.^w master, or not, he evidently did not like the tone of his voice nor the swagger' ing of his person. horse learns the different inflections of the human voice sooner than many a school boy.
'

We


10

TUB ORIENTAL

Our hero now led the horse from the stable, put a saddle upon his back, buckled it with uncommon tightness, and after trying the stirrups to see that all was sound and right, with a single bound was in his saddle.

Now commenced a scene of rearing, and springing, and pitching unlike anything I ever before witnessed. In retaliation, the rider commenced using the cow hide freely over the rump, about the sides and legs of the animal, and at length over his head, eyes, ears and mouth. It was evidently a battle between two equally determined, but unequally powerful opponents a trial of animal strength an exhibition of dexterity on the part of the animal, to throw off the disagreeable load on the part of the disagreeable load the man to conquer, to subdue, to maintain his position. But the horse, being the stouter of the two, was the victor, and would have thrown his load a rod at least from his back, but for the rider's foot having caught in the stirrup and in that plight, the horse would soon have kicked his brains out, if he had any, but for the interference and assistance of the by-standers, who soon liberated the prisoner from his critical situation. ut was the horse broken ? No. But the owner was from any future attempts to ride a vicious horse. of the spectators of this scene asked the owner Being taken animal what he would take for him. ol the mood for selling cheap, he replied, any thing a-e..' A bargain was soon struck up, and the horse The crowd was making tracks to ad hands for #50. o the horse to the stable of the new owner, but the latter observed that he should make no attempt to ride him at present, and when he did, he should by no means allow any one to be present on the occasion. Three weeks after this, I, with many others in the viU lage which was now the new home of this 'vicious horse,* had the pleasure of seeing this gentleman (for though he was what is termed a horse jockey, he was a gentleman i-n his treatment of horses) pass through the place gracefully riding the back of this noble, but heretofore proscribed animal, with apparently as much pleasure to the horse as There was no springing, rearing or whipping; to the rider.

'

but the horse and the rider

moved up and down

the

main

HORSE CHARMER.

11

thoroughfare of the village, in the presence of hundr- Is of excited .spectators, as if they were a part of each other. How was this miraculous change brought about ? I will give you the horse tamer's own account of the matter, as nearly as my memory will serve at this distf.n. pengd of which, however, is uncommonly distinct, for the time circumstance made an indelible impression on my rniud, Oriental as it constituted my first valuable lesson in the Art of Charming Horses.' "I took my horse home." said he, "and spent several days in forming an acquaintance with him. I might have
;

succeeded in riding him sooner, but then, I am yexy formal about such matters 1 want to be regularly introduce .0 a ,r-.jus, horse a coquettish, shy, non-committal, bashful, ed, excitable, egotistical, joking frolicksome, quick>i vicious, or lazy horse (for horses have as grea.

characteristics as

troduced as to I want the business or a partner at the altar. intimately acquainted go through a r-^gula that we may love each other for 1 will new that I can not love. '>m. But, as I was saying, I took my hors a clean nice stable, fed him with the b s,t him, combed him, conversed with him, cm self I never have a servant to do my coir We soon became the best of friends. 1 9 n

women either) as one whom I might choose for

men,
or

<

>

r<

Lb,.

rtn :n
'

oine
3

e,
11

when I am was shy

getting the right side of

horse

e
arrie

treated

me. with

I put on y best co talked to him in my most wooing tones, 1 sueo -.*, ing him know me, love me, and fear me. for I whipped himr-I whip horses as I do chii re - ersei and 1 tak iinatej in anger, always from a sense of duty diate steps to let t+ie animal know why 1 whip him, <nd how painful it is for me to do so. At length 1 led him into the center of the sHbU, placed a saddle gently across his back, and then went to his head and caressed him. I was a long time adjusting the saddle to suit me, for my time was principally occupied in wintng the affection of the horse. At length, all things ready %

too familiar by half.


12

THE ORIENTAL

I crawled shyly upon his back, setting down so easily, that he could scarcely distinguish the time when I was fairly fixed my head mean time, and for some time afterward
;

close
off,

to

his.

made no motion

for

him

to go, but slipped

;

though it was July put on the mittens and again mounted his back cautiously no, not cautiously, for it will never do to be cautiovs but in a friendly, familiar manner, as much as to say, I have a right to a place on your back, but, then, it is with your leave, sir. After turning him around once by the bridle, I was again off to get my hat, then my whip, etc., etc., and finally took off his saddle and put him back into his stall. This I did several times, perhaps more times than was necessary, but I was in no hurry. 1 next took him into the yard, and jumping upon another horse,*rode several times around him, then left that and mounted him, and rode several times around the first horse. This was a great feat it was glory enough for one day ;' I therefore put the horse up and left him for a day. The next day 1 tried both horses again, but rode a longer time than the first day. Again, I ventured still farther, riding around my house, then down the road to the brook and back, until Snally, I can take a journey on the best saddle horse 1 ever owned, which cost me but fify dolfars. Now who will say that horses have not sense? Who will say that they must not be treated, at least as we would treat a dog, or a cat, or a bird, that we would wish to tame
for a pair of mittens,

and went

and instruct?
TEACHING A HORSE VARIOUS

TltfCKS.

Almost any Horse can be taught to. perform tricks, but some horses are more tractable than others. You must
select a good shaped, bright eyed, nimble, playful horse, not too large, nor too stoutly built. Softie Horses are made only to work, and others only to be lazy. Neither of these should be selected as a trick horse. If you are any judge of horses, your own judgment, better than a page of directions, will enable you to pick out your horse. He should also be healthy teach a cripple that it is waste time to which he can not perform well, if at all.

H^R&E CHARMER.

13

Now, presuming you have the right kind of a horse, observe strictly the following rules all through. 1st. Never treat your horse with any thing but kindness.

You may have

ly use
it

a whip, and crack and snap it; occasionallie will good purpose around your horses legs soon learn whether you do it because you are his master, or* have a right to use it, and do not use it with cruelty whether you are unreasonable, bad-tempered, and impa*
to
;

lient.

2d. Never allow any one to feed, curry or take any othe* care of your horse or if you must occasionally commit him to other hands, the> should be charged not to notice him, or play with him, but be as indifferent as possible in their treatment of him. Your horse should learn that nu> one loves him or cares for him but yourself. You shoukl endeavor by every possible method to impress him with tht?
;

idea that he

is

do

all these things

your horse, your pet, your friend, and must which you are teaching him just for yout

gratification alone.

Never allow any other horse, animal, child or man you are giving instruction. After he* has become familiar with his lessons and performs them well after you are satisfied and he is satisfied, that the thing is wtll done, then you may venture to introduce one spectator, then two, a dozen, or thousand. But undeitaka no new trick in presence of spectators. 4th. Never undertake more than one thing at a time. However simple that thing may be, let your horse become familiar ana dexterous in that before* confusing him with
3d.
to be piesent while
;

anything else.
ress, fondle

your horse has performed well, always caand feed him. Put your head up to his, and your arm around his neck, and tell him he is a fine boy and shall have the best oats that can be had in market. He don't know the meaning of your words, but you can5th.

When

not say all this to a horse, without doing it in just the manner which indicates to him your affection, interest and approval. This is just the very thing wanted. This is precisely tho Oriental Art of Charming Horses. It is. to win his favor, excite his pride and ambition, enlist his aifectiona. A horse, and, indeed, for that matter, nearly uii

TIS 0KI1NTAL

animals have all the affections and instincts of man, and they only want to be appealed to, and enlisted in your behalf, when they will be ten times more obedient to your wishes, and subservient to your demands, than the most abject office seeker is to the President, the Governor or the Dear People.' Now if you have pricked out your horse and will observe the above rules, you may begin by taking a handkerchief and placing in a certain part of the stable. Then pointing to Bring me that handkerchief, sir,' the handkerchief, say, leading the horse to 'it (first presuming however that he has seen and smelt of it twenty times before), bearing his head toward it, and at the same time lifting it up to his mouth. Put it into his mouth if he is disposed to drop lead him to the other sid of it, hold it to his mouth, and Now take the handkerchief the stable and put it down. and carry it back to where you put it first, then come back to the horse and say, as before, (in fact, always use the same expression and in the same tone of voice) bring me that handkerchief, sir; if he does not start for it, lead him as before, and pass through the whole ceremony precisely The third or fourth time, you can venture as the first time. to snap your whip and manifest son e signs of displeasure, but finish with a friendly gesture and word, and again lead him to the object, and go through the whole round of ceremony. He will at length go so far as to go and take the handkerchief in his mouth, and then from pure mischief, perhaps, shake it about, or carry it anywhere else but wh( re you want him to. Then snap your whip, and again make him carry it to the place where you were standing or sitFollow this up and you will soon learn your horse ting. to bring your handkerchief to you witkoutyour moving from your position; then your hat, gloves, or any oth< r object. If it is a pail, and he takes hold of it by its aide instead of the handle, go to him, take it from his mouth, and put the handle in his mouth, saying, that is not right, sir, this is Some such expression as this should be always the way used, and always in precisely the same way, when he does not perform correctly, and he will soon learn what is meant by it, if applied to any other transaction improperly per'

'

'

'

formed.

BOftSl

CHARUBR.

15

go on and teach your horse any tlaing yoa can teach him to go and bring your cows or sheep for you and though he will not learn it as readily, nor be as serviceable for that purpose as a well trained dog, yet the novelty of the transaction well repays for the ex

You can now

please.

You

tra trouble that is taken.

by such means that a circus horse is taught to lie sit up hold up one foot or the other afcoramand shake his head, as if to say no, and nod his head as if to say yes, to any question; to turn half way or all the way around, and remain in that position until he hears a certain
It is

down

or

word, To pick out the letters of the alphabet, and spell, not any word, but such words as he has been taught to spell. There is, in fact nothing which you may not learn a But you must observe 3trictly the horse to do, if you will. above rules. Any one else tampering with your horse, and directing him in a little different way, causes him to mistake, and he is as sensitive of the mistake as a man would be, and will not like to try it again.

SRfiAKlNG COLTS.

There

a great difference in Colts, and consequently some will of necessity be harder to break than others. But [he
is

methods are the same

require

in nature with all colts. Some will time and patience than others but whatever the amount of time, it is ol no use for you to fret, worry, swear and rave at them. For every minute spent in raving at them you will have to spend ten in gentleness, kindness and patience afterward. It is seldom that a colt must be tamed on the very day you at first select and when you or they are likely to get out of patience, it is better to postpone operations till another time. The first thing is to approach him, in the stable, or a small enclosure, in a familiar, friendly manner, with nothing in your hand, and no person or animal in sight. As you approach extend one hand toward him and commence talking to him in a low tone of voice. No matter what you say, but say something keep your tongue going, There is nothing so potent with the horse as the gift of gab ' hence it is no doubt, that many of the most celebrated horse tarn-

much more

'

16
ers,

THE ORIENTAL
have not been equally celebrated
for enlightened

con-

versational powers.

As you dwaw near the horse, or colt, if he turns from you, stop until he stops and has taken another look at you. He will then allow, you to approach still nearer. If he again starts, stop yourself again. It is of no use to follow him while he is in motion. He can move faster than you can, and will only widen the distance between you. When he finds you have not hurt him by being within two rods of him, he may let you come within a rod and a half. If von can not get up to his head and take hold of it within fifteen cr twenty minutes, better postpone the attempt for an hour or two, or longer at convenience. When you have succeeded in reaching his head, pat him on the neck, put your head close to his, and talk to him, and he will soon be pleased with the familiariiy. If you are not in too great haste, it is better to do this with him frequently, before approaching him with any thing in your
hand.

So much being accomplished, you can now approach him with a halter, whip or any thing else but if he turns from you, do not follow him up. Leave him and again go with nothing in your hand. Be exceedingly careful you do not lose favor with him; if you do, you must begin all over again. Once his friend, never let him suppose you are or can be his enemy. After you have fondled with him several times with a whip, halter, harness or any thing else you please, take a leather halter (in no case use a rope halter) and put it to his nose, then rub it on his neck, around his head, mouth and nose, being careful always not to approach too near
;

his eyes.

you get ready, put it over his head so easily and with so much unconcern that he will not kuowyou have any designs in doing it. Do not attempt now to fasten it, unless he is very tame, and submissive. Take another ophead.
portunity. After your colt has become used to the feeling of the halter, you can then lead him about ; but if he falls back, go up to him and patfhim on the neck. Don't let him have

Do When

this

frequently before

putting

it

over

his

n chance to

try his strength

if

you do, he

will tind

out

HORSE CHARMER.
that he

17

This neither a colt nor is stronger than you are. When you have succeeded a horse ever ought to know. thus far with him, and you and he have had no falling out/ you can go on step by step, making him familiar by degrees with every kind of service to which he is liable to
be called.

Every

colt should be

made

familiar with drums,

fifes,

horns, Rail

and with various colors and objects. But never approach them or look at them while making

Road

cars

noise for the purpose of breaking them. in this line, should be done, at first, at a distance, until, the colt cares nothing about it; then approach a step nearer. Avoid all sudden frights. I once knew a young horse to be so badly frightened at the noise and sudden motion of a company of children coming out of a school soon, that he would shy off the track for months I have if two or three children passed him on the road. known horses to be equally frightened at a Rail Car. Itis better to pasture them, if possible, near but not too near a Rail Road track, and then in a lot adjoining a track. If you can not do this, the first opportunity you can have, take them near, but again not too near, a Rail Road track. Next time a little nearer, always letting them see the cars Colts that are properly trained to familiarias they pass. ty with all such things as they are likely to see and hear, will never afterward be frightened while in the harness.

any

uncommon

Whatever you do

Of course most of the above applies only to colts that are very skittish.
KICKING.

This

is

generally brought on by boys tampering with the

legs of the horse, or by poultry running around his legs and annoying him, or by the reins, etc., getting under his
tail or around his legs while on the road. Prevention here, as in all other bad habits, is worth more than cure. It is a very difficult matter to break a horse of the habit

of kicking at every is confirmed.

little

annoyance, when once the babit

Kicking against the sides of the stall can generally be prevented by attaching thorns to the sides of the stall, or


18

THE ORIENTAL

-will prickle without injuring the feet. Kicking in the harness is best conquered by stout straps, so adjusted as to prevent his raising his hind feet. The strap must be very strong and a little springy, and then, it must be resorted to more for the purpose of preventing the horse from breaking the carriage, than with any expectation of reforming him. The best plan is to begin early with your colt : or, if your colt is already a horse, then begin at once a thorough system of training, to get him used to various annoyances by degrees, and with kind treatment, as in the manner herein recommended for putting on the bridle. Any horse can be taught to disregard the reins getting under his tail, or the foot-board coming up against him, just as easily as he can be reconciled to the saddle, or the bits. All such things are an annoyance to the horse or colt, when first submitted to. The drum and fife and other musical, instruments are an annoyance so also the Railroad car and train our horses to such thing3 the steam whistle. then why not train them to every thing with which they Any man who does not love a are likely to be annoyed. horse well enough, or who does not take enough pride in him to guard him in the first four years of his life against He the dangers of the future, should never own a horse. should at once adopt some branch of business that will enable him to get along without a horse, and forever afterward resort to the Railroad car and the Steamboat.
;

anything that

We

HOW TO CATCH COLTS IN THE PASTURES OR PRAIRIES. If they are very wild or shy, two or even three should be employed to go on all sides and gradually approach them. Do no look directly at them, nor approch in a direct line, nor raise the hands as if to head them off. You must not Let one let them mistrust that you want to catch them. who is on a horse approach slowly, and if your horse will nibble the grass, let him do so a minute, and then take a step nearer by such means you can soon go in among them, and after your horse has smelt of them and they of him, then turn toward your home, and in most cases they will follow into the barn yard. If they will not do it at
;

HORSE CHARMER.

19

first, persevence will always succeed. It is sometime well, but not always necessary, to feed them. Avoid all haste, noise, flurry, excitement. If you get out of patience, do not let your colts know it; if you do, you will have lost all your labor thus far. If you can not control yourself in this matter, it is doubtful whether you can control the colts after you catch them. I firmly believe that the wildest prairie colt may be caught without the lasso or the trap, if one has sufficient patience, and exercises a little dexterity and prudence.

SLIPPING THE HALTER.

Some Horses

are very dexterous at this, and almost always succeed in getting loose in the stable, keeping other horses

awake, and endangering

their

own

limbs

to

the kicks of

others, besides other evils.

The web
one way
;

of the halter should be

made

so as to slip

only

be buckled around the neck, and attached to the halter just tight enough not to injure or annoy him, but to prevent his -slipping it off.
or a strap

may

RESTLESSNESS WHILE BEING 8H0ED.

unwilling to be shoed, he should be algo through the operation, before taking his turn. This, with other means of gentleness will generally succeed. But if not, then it will be necessary to put your horse through a regular course of training to do in fact what should have been done before he was ever sent to be shoed at all. Take his foot up frequently and hold it as the smith does, until he cares nothing about it, then hammer it and do whatever else will bean imitation of the process of shoeing. By such means your horse will be prepared for an operation which would otherwise be strange to him. A horse does not refuse to be shoed from mere bad temper it is because he does not know what you want to do with his foot, or be has been roughly handled, badly trained, or previously maimed by some careless smith.
is

If a young horse

lowed

to see several others

20

THB ORIENTAL

TO PREVENT ROLLING IN THE ST ALL.

very dangerous habit, and can be prevented only by tying the horse so that he can lie down, but not touch This is very tiresome to the horse, his head to the floor. and hence, if you care enough for his comfort and health, build a narrow platform, eighteen to twenty-four inches in width, slanting at an angle of thirty to forty degrees, so then that it will form a pillow for his head amd neck adjust a rope so that as he lies down his head will natuHe will not roll, rally rest on the platform, or pillow. unless he can get his head as low as the floor of the stable.

This

is a

nOW
In the
first

TO BREAK HORSES FROM BALKING.

place never teach your horse to balk, by giving him a greater load than he can carry, or requiring him to go up too steep a hill without permitting him to stop. If you tell him to stop, in going up a steep hill, it is better If he finds than to allow him to do it of his own accord. he can stop of his own will, and start when he pleases, he will soon learn to do it when he ought not to. If at any time he stops without your stopping him, give him a sharp cut, and make him go on. even if you think he ought but soon yourself give him an to stop at that very place This will teach him that he is to stop opportunity to stop. only at your will, and that you are not unreasonable in your demands. 1 believe that all balky horses are in the first instance taught to balk by their'careless and inconsiderate owners, who overload them, and allow them to stop Once a horse finds he or go according to their own will. can stop at will without reproof, he will stop, perhaps on a smooth road, or in the middle of a village, or on the street of a city, where you will be mortified as well as
;

discommoded. But what shall we do with a horse who has thoroughly learned to balk, and whom whipping only hardens ? Desperate remedies should sometimes be used for desperate cases, and you may in such cases either kill your horse as not being worthy the oats you give him, or you may fasten him to a strong carriage, put on a strong harness and reins,

HORSE CHARMER.

21

if he and seating yourself firmly in the vehicle drive on balks, set fire to a hunch of shavings or a newspaper at his heels, or a bunch of fire crackers.; he is bound to go in perhaps too fast for you but of this you must such case run your risk. It is a desperate remedy, but when kind;

ness and good treatment do not succeed,

will suceeed better, and
is

such a remedy more humane, than beating,

at all.

unmerciful whipping,

etc.,

which seldom succeed

CRIB BITING.

and very annoying to the owner of Various remedies have been tried such as irona horse. know of no certain cure I ing the manger, petitions etc. but an iron muzzle, wiih bars just wide enough apart to allow the horse to pick up his grain and draw out his hay wiih his tonge, but not to get hold of any thing with his teeth. If this habit is not broken it will soon be imitated by every horse in the stable.

This

is

a bad habit

TO MAKE A HORSE LIE DOWN AT NIGHT. Horses that never lie down when they sleep will not do as

They perhaps well as those who are in the habit of it. are afraid of being caught by the halter, or they have already been cast in the night, and do not like to try it again. Such horses should be let loose in a stable at night, or in a large stall, without being tied, and furnished with a tempting bed, until the habit of lying down is acquired, and the
fear of
it

removed.

UNWILLINGNESS TO BE MOUNTED.
mere playfulness, while in others it is a deGive such horses as ihe to be driven. former more hay -and less oats, and never let them start immediately on your mounting them or getting into the carIn

some

this is

cided unwillingness

and persevering course of such treatend usually teach the horse that you are not ready for him to go the instant you touch your foot to the stirrup, but you have your gloves or mittens to put on, or your reins to adjust, and it is useless for him to be iu a hurry But if it is because he does not want to go, then it may
riage.

A systematic

ment

will in the

22

THE ORIENTAL
;

be be wants more oats and less hay or he has been perhaps badly used when out on former occasions. In either ease, however; whipping does no good indeed I am satis* fied that for all viciousness in horses, whipping does no good, but only aggravates the evil. An occasional sharp crack with the whip, followed by tones of friendship familiar to the horse, will generally do good but if your horse has never heard you use such tones, then you had better sell him at once, and get a horse without bad habits some drone which has not life enough in him to be restless, and not strength enough to kick.
;
;

RUNNING A?7AY.

The
the

best

way

to

cure

this, if

it is

a settled habit,

is

to get

your horse on a good road, and

if

he

starts, let

him

go, and

moment he

slacks give

him

a sharp cut with the whip,

as he wants.

until

he has had as

much running

RESTIVENESS.

on of the worst manifestions in the horse. It is the result of bad management in the early training of the horse, and when once a settled habit, it becomes dangerous to any but the best rider or driver to attempt his management. Whipping, hallooing, jerking and yanking with the If you cannot soothe bridle only make the matter worse. such a horse by kind treatment, you had better give him up as a hopeless case. This
is

BITING.

generally the result of allowing boys to fool 'with though some times the a horse, by pointing sticks at him Here again cause is in the natural disposition of the horse. whipping is of no use. Stewart says he has seen horses whipped till nearly dead, but to no effect. If you can obtain something exceedingly disagreeable to the taste of a horse, as some very bitter herb, saturate a piece of cloth

This

is

'

and wind

it around a stick for him to bite at, it will often, in connection with kind treatment, have a tendency to break single sharp cut of the whip across the mouth on him. the instant, will sometimes do good ; but unmerciful whipping, raving, swearing never

PART

II.

THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE.

BREEDING HORSES. Important and necessary as it is to secure the best possible condition, make, and character of both sire and dam,
not sufficient to insure complete success. In a world briers, weeds, and poisonous grasses grow spontaneously, and the fruits and grains which support life are grown only by laborious cultivation, eternal vigilance is the The first conprice of good life, and ample sustenance. The ditions being settled, leaves no recess for slumbering. mare needs constant care. She must be kept in good health and condition must be fed with care, both as regards quantity and quality must be sheltered from storms and bad weather, must have exercise and room for recreation, avoiding sudden, violent exertion ; must be kept free from the noxious gases of foul and ill-ventilated stables ; should be combed and rubbed frequently, and, in short, everything should be done which tends to cultivate and sustain that condition of life, strength, action, and spirit, to be desired in the offspring. The forming animal derives no elements of its being from other source than the mother's system. During gestation, her vital fluid fills the foetal veins, and if, from any depressing or exhausting influence that blood is deficient in vitality, it cannot supply that life and energy, that perfection of development, to the new being which a better condition would impart. Every influence affecting injuriously the mother's health, vitiates the life fountain of the new being ; hence the necessity and value of the utmost care and attention during the period of
it is

where

gestation.

All the attention requisite before foaling, is equally important afterwards. In the one case, the foetus derives its


24
THE ORIENTAL
nourishment direct from the blood of the mother; in the next, the foal obtains its sustenance from the milk made from that blood, and it is not less important that the blood
be healthy and pure to insure the proper quantity and quality of nutriment to the young animal. For this reason the mare should not be put to hard work soon after foaling, nor, indeed, to severe and constant toil during the time of suckling her young. She should be well fed, and allowed good pasturage, affording both food and room for exercise.

An idea that half-starved and stunted colts make tough, hardy horses, has long existed among a portion of the farm* ing community; and so opposed is it to all facts, so contrary to all the teachings of reason and philosophy, so absurd in itself, that its very existence is astonishing. When every tissue of the organization is made up from the nutriment taken into the system, and from that only, as every one knows, it is not easy to conceive how those tissues should be better formed if only half supplied with forming materials And yet such has been the idea. though a few good animals have been raised in this manner, it needs but a moment's thought to decide that they must have been much better if well cared for, and fully fed. Observation, it is thought, will convince any one that such
;

horses are imperfectly developed, are

more

liable to the

encroachments of disease, are wanting in action and spirit, and do not exhibit that symmetry and beauty of form characteristic of well fed animals.

Youatt, who has written much, and scientifically, upon

the
it, that nothing is gained by starving the mother, and stinting the foal at this time. It is the most important period of the life of the horse; and if, from false economy his growth is arrested, his puny form and want of endurance will ever afterwards testify the error that has been committed/' There is no principle of greater importance than the liberal feeding of the foal during the time of his growth, and particularly at the time of weaning. Bruised oats and bran, or other nutritious and easily digestible articles, should form a part of his daily food and the farmer may be assured that the money is well invested which is expended
;

economy of the horse, says The breeder may depend upon

:

HORSE CHARMER.
on the

25

With libliberal nourishment of the growing colt. range, he should have good shelter from storms and Too often, however, after the inclemencies of the weather. weaning, he is left to struggle on as he can," and becoming poor and dispirited, may be seen shivering beside a fence, rheum running from his eyes, his rough, shaggy, dirty coat a habitation for vermin, and himself a sad specimen of poverty and misery. Not a great number of such cases maybe found at this time, compared with the past; but there is far too much carelessness and inattention to young animals of all kinds. The dictates of humane feeling and the demand of the owner's purse, when understood, will remedy the evil; and reform, in these matters, as in most others, will come from a knowledge of, and reasons for the
eral

better way. The agricultural wealth not yet developed, both vegetable and animal, may some day astonish the dull eyes of the present old fogyish portion of young

America.

THE HORSE IN THB STABLE.

would have a good horse on the road, he must take care of him in the stable. To the man who is fond of that noble animal, the horse, the stable is no mean place which is the home of his faithful servant. A part of the secret of
If one

the differences

among

horses,

may be found

in the different

ways they

are treated in the stable.

tecture, nor be

This building need not have the embellishment of archimade air tight ; but it should be comfortable made to promote the comfort of its occupant. It should be well ventilated, by allowing a draught of fresh air constantly to pass through it, especially during the warmer months. Do not allow the air of the stable to be made offensive and unhealthy by the presence of ammonia escaping from the excrements. Keep the air in your stable as sweet as it is in your own house ; for such is necessary for
the health of a horse.

Plaster of Paris used freely about the stable, is quite desirable both on the score of comfort and profit. It is cruel to foster a noble horse in a stable where the air is

suffocating on account of noxious gases constantly generat-

26
ing and escaping for
ent.

THE ORIENTAL
want
of a few quarts of

some absorb-

should not have much inclination enough' to allow the water to pass off. The more level the surface on which a horse stables, the better. <( sprung knees ' are occasioned partly by It is said that standing on steep floors in the stable. That such a floor is not pleasant for the horse, is clearly seen in the fact that when such a stall is wide, the horse will stand across

only

The

floor of the stall

his stall, in order to find the

most level position.

naturally as possible in the stable. He has been furnished with a long neck in order that he may reach down to feed, as he does in the pasture, and not that he may reach up, and pull out a small lock of hay from the rack. Give a horse a manger to feed out of, so that he can enjoy eating, and do not oblige him to steal his fodder from a rack, with narrow spaces, as though he did not deserve his keeping. It is thought that a horse will waste his hay if he is fed from a manger but he will not, if he has good hay, given in proper quantities.
feel as
;

Let the horse

AIR.

breathing of pure air is necessary to the existence and the health of man and beast. It is comparatively lately that this has been admitted even in the management of our best stables. They have been close, and hot, and foul, instead of airy, and cool, and wholesome. The stable should be as large, compared with the number of horses that it is destined to contain, as circumstances
will allow.

The

The stable with a loft over it should never be less than twelve feet high, and proper ventilation should be secured, either by tubes carried through the roof, or by gratings close to the ceiling. These gratings or openings should be enlarged or contracted by means of a covering or shutter, so that spring, summer, and autumn, the stable may possess nearly the same temperature with the open air, and in winter a temperature of not more than ten degrees above that of the external atmosphere. If the stable is close, the air will not only be hot, but

HORSE CHARMER.
foul.

27
it
;

The breathing
it

of every animal contaminates

and

when
ped,

in the course of the night, with every aperture stop-

can not undergo

passes again and again through the lungs, the blood digestion its proper and healthy change will not be so perfectly performed, and all the functions Let the owner of a valuable horse of life are injured. think of his passing twenty or twenty-two out of the twenNature does ty-four hours in this debilitating atmosphere wonders in enabling every animal to accommodate itself to the situation in which it is placed, and the horse that lives in the stable-oven suffers less from it than would but he does not, and can scarely be conceived possible not, possess the power and the hardihood which he would acquire under other circumstances.
;
!

GROOMING.

Many

persons go at this business as if they were rubbing the skin of the rhinoceros, instead of that of one of the most sensitive of the animal race. A comb with part of and whatever be the the teeth gone should never be used condition of the comb, it should be handled carefully If a horse is not about the legs and head of the animal. thus handled, he will soon become restive, and perhaps Bad acquire the pernicious habit of kicking, or biting. habits once being formed, the horse is declared vicious, and is proscribed, when it is really the hostler who is en*
;

titled to the epithet

and the proscription.

it is better to wash with warm water, and use only a soft brush. Much need not be said of this to the agriculturist, since custom, and apparently without ill effect, has allotted so The little of the comb and brush to the farmer's horse. animal that is worked all day, and turned out at night,

If the horse is

very tender,

to be done to him than to have the limbs. Regular grooming, by rendering his skin more sensible to the alteration of temperature, and the inclemency of the weather, would be prejudicial. The horse that is altogether turned out, needs no groomThe dandruff, or scurf, which accumulates at the roots ing. of the hair, is a provision of nature to defend him from the wind and the cold.

requires little
dirt

more

brushed

off his

28
It
is

THE ORIENTAL
to

irregularly worked, that

fed, and little or of so much conseGood rubbing with the brush, or the curry-comb, quence. o ; )ens the pores of the skin, circulates (he blood to the extremities of the body, produces free and healthy perspiration, and stands in the room of exercise. No horse will carry a fine coat without either unnatural heat or dressing.

the

stabled horse, highly

grooming

is

They both

effect the same purpose ; they both increase the insensible perspiration but the first does it at the expense of health and strength, while the second, at the same time that it produces a glow on the skin, and a deter*,
:

mination of blood to it, rouses all energies of the frame.' would-be well for the proprietor if he were to insist and to see that his orders are really obeyed that the fine coat in which he and his groom so much delight, is produced by honest rubbing and not by a heated stable and thick clothing, and most of all, not by stimulating or injurious spices. The horse should be regularly dressed every day, in addition to the grooming that is necessary after work.
It

LIGHT.

This neglected branch of stable management is of far more consequence than is generally imagined; and it is particularly neglected by those for whom these treatises are
principally designed. The farmer's stable is frequently destitute of any glazed window, and has only a shutter, which is raised in warm weather, and closed when the weather becomes cold. When the horse is in the stable only during a few hours in the day, this is not of so much consequence, nor ofsomuch, probably, with regard to horsbut to carriage-horses and hackneys, so es of slow work far, at least, as the eyes are concerned, a dark stable is In order to little less injurious than a foul and heated one. illustrate this, reference may be made to the unpleasant feeling, and the impossibility of seeing distinctly, when a man suddenly emerges from a dark place into the full blaze of day. The sensation of mingled pain and giddiness is not soon forgotten; and some minutes pass before the If this eye can accommodate itself to the increased light. were to happen every day, or several times in the day, the s sight would be irreparably injured, or possibly blindness
;

HORSE CHARMER.

29

Can we wonder, then, that the horse, taken from a dark stable into a glare of light, feeling, probably, as we should under similar circumstances, and unable for a considerable time to see anything around him distinctly, or that the frequently repeated violent effect of sudden light should cause inflammation of the eye so intense as to terminate in blindness ? There is, indeed, no doubt that horses kept in dark stables are frequently notorious starters, and that abominable habit has been properly traced to this cause.
would ensue.

EXERCISE.

The

first

rule

have daily

we would lay down is, that every horse should exercise. The animal that, with the usual stable

many

feeding, stands idle for three or four days, as is the case in establishments, must suffer. He is predisposed to fever, or to grease, or most of all diseases of the foot ; and if,
after three or four
fast,

he

is

days of inactivity, he is ridden far and almost sure to have inflammation of the lungs

or of the

feet.

or a tradesman's horse suffers a great deal more from idleness than he does from work. A stablefed horse should have two hours' exercise every [May if he is to be kept free from disease. Nothing of extraordinary, or even of ordinary labor, can be effected on the road or in the field, without sufficient and regular exercise. It is
this alone which can give energy to the system, or develop the powers of any animal.

A gentleman's

LITTER.

of fermenting dung should be suffered to remain during the day in the corner," or in any part of the stable. With regard to this, the directions of the master should be

No heap

peremptory,
stable should be so contrived that the urine shall off, and the offensive and injurious vapor from the decomposing fluid and the litter will thus be materially lessened, but if this is effected by means of gutters and a

The

quickly run

descending floor, the descent must be barely sufficient to cause the fluid to escape, as if the toes are kept higher

30

THE ORIENTAL

than the heels, it will lead to lameness, and is also a frequent cause of contraction of the foot. Stalls of this kind certainly do best for mares but for horses we much prefer those with a grating in the center, and a slight inclination of the floor on every side toward the middle. A short branch may communicate with a large drain, by means of which the urine may be carried off to a reservoir outside the stable. Traps are now contrived, and may be procured at little expense, by means of which neither any offensive smell nor current of air can pass through the grating.
;

FOOD.

There

are few horses that do not habitually waste a por tion of their hay; and by some the greater part is pulled down and trampled under foot, in order first to cull the sweetest and best locks, and which could not be done while the hay was enclosed in the rack. The observation of this induced the adoption of manger-feeding, or of mixing a portion of chaff (i. e., cut feed) with the grain and beans. By this means the animal is compelled to chew his food ; he can not, to any degree, waste the straw or hay; the chaff is too hard and too sharp to be swallowed without sufficient mastication, and, while he is forced to grind that down, the oats and beans are ground with it, and yield more nourishment; the stomach is more slowly filled, and therefore acts better on its contents, and is not so likely to be overloaded and the increased quantity of saliva thrown out in the lengthened maceration of the food, softens it,
;

and makes it more fit for digestion, Chaff may be composed of equal quantities of clover or meadow hay, and wheaten, oaten, or barley straw, cut into pieces of a quarter or half an inch in length, and mingled well together the allowance of oats or beans is afterwards added, and mixed with the chaff. For the agricultural and cart horse, eight pounds of oats and two of beans should be added to e\ery twenty pounds Thirty four or thirty-six pounds of the mixture of chaff. will be sufficient for any moderate sized horse, with fair The dray and wagon horse may reor even hard work. Hay in the rack at night is, in this quire forty pounds.
;

?i

HORSE CHARMER.

31

The rack, howcase, supposed to be omitted altogether. may remain, as occasionally useful for the sick horse, would caution or to contain tares or other green feed.
ever,

We

the farmer not to set apart too much damaged hay for the manufacture of the chaff. Much more injury is done by eating damaged hay or musty oats than is generally imaThere will be sufficient saving in the diminished gined. cost of the provender by the introduction of the straw, and the improved condition of the horse, without poisoning him For old horses, and for those with the refuse of the farm. with defective teeth, chaff is peculiarly useful, and for them the grain should be broken down as well as the
fodder.

While the mixture of chaff with the grain prevents it from being to rapidly devoured and a portion of it swallowed whole, and therefore the stomach is not too loaded with that on which, as containing the most nutriment, its chief digestive power should be exerted, yet, on the whole, a great deal of time is gained by this mode of feeding, and more is When a horse comes in wearied at the close left for rest. of the day, it occupies, after he has eaten his grain, two or On the system of mangerthree hours to clear his rack. feeding, the chaff being already cut into small pieces, and the beans and oats bruised, he is able fully to satisfy his appetite in an hour and a half. Two additional hours are This is a circumstance deserving therefore devoted to rest. of much consideration even in the farmer's stable, and of immense consequence to the post-rider, the stage-coach proprietor, and the owner of every hard worked horse. Manger food will be the usual support of the farmer's horse during the winter, and while at constant or occasional hard work; but from the middle of April to the end of July, he may be fed with this mixture in the day and turned out at night, or he may remain out during every rest-day. A team in constant employ should not, however, be suffered to be out at night after the end of July. The farmer should take care that the pasture is thick and good and that the distance from the yard is not too great, or the fields too large, otherwise a very considerable por^ tion of time will be occupied in catching the horse in the morning. He will likewise have to take into consideration
;

32

THE ORIENTAL

the sale he would have for his hay, and the necessity for sweet and untrodden pasture for his cattle. On the whole, however, turning out in this way, when circumstances will admit of it, will be found to be more beneficial for the horse, and cheaper than soiling in the yard. Few grooms make good gruel; it is either not boiled long enough, or a sufficient quantity of oatmeal has not been used. The proportions should be, a pound of meal thrown into a gallon of water, and kept constantly stirred
until
it

boils,
is

and

five

minutes afterwards.

Barley

more

dred and twenty There seems, however, to be something necessary besides a great proportion of nutritive matter, in order to render any substance wholesome, strengthening, or fattening; therefore it is that, in many horses that are hardly worked, and, indeed, in horses generally, barley does not agree with them so well as oats. They are occasionally subject to inflammatory complaints, and particularly to surfeit and

nutritious than oats, containing nine hunparts of nutritive matter in every thousa id.

mange.
is given, the quantity should not exceed a should always be bruised, and the chaff should consist of equal quantities of hay and barley-straw, and not cut too short. Wheat contains nine hundred and fifty-five parts of nutritive matter. Wheat contains a greater portion of gluten, or sticky, adhesive matter, than any other kind of grain. It is difficult of digestion, and apt to cake and form obstructions in the bowels. This will oftener be the case if the horse is suffered to drink much water soon after feeding upon wheat. But a horse that is fed on wheat should have very little hay. The proportion should not be more than one truss of hay to two of straw. Bran, or the ground husk of the wheat, used to be frequently given to benefit some sick horses on account of the supposed advantage derived from its relaxing the bowels. There is no doubt that it does operate gently on the intestinal canal, and assists in quickening the passage of its contents, when it is occasionally given but it must not be a constant, or even frequent food. Bran may, however, be useful as an occasional aperient in the form

When

barley
It

peck

daily.

HORSE CHARMER.
of a mash, but never should
food.

8*
article

become a regular

of

Beans form a striking illustration of the principle, that the nourishing or strengthening effects of the different articles of food depend more on some peculiar property which they possess, or some combination which they form, than on the actual quantity of nutritive matter. Beans contain but five hundred and seventy parts of nutritive matter, yet they add materially to the vigor of a horse. There are many horses that will not stand hard work without beans being mingled with their food, and these not horses whose tendency to purge it may be necessary to There is no travrestrain by the astringency of the bean. eler who Ls not aware of the difference in the spirit and continuance of his horse whether he allows or denies him beans on his journey. They afford not merely a temporary stimulus, but they may be daily used without losing their power, or producing exhaustion. They are indispensable to the hard-worked coach horse. The straw of the bean is nutritive and wholesome, and Its nutritive properties are is usually given to the horses. supposed to be little inferior to those of oats. The small and plump bean is generally the best. Peas appear to be in a slight degree more nourishing than beans, and not so heating. They contain five hunFor hordred and seventy -four parts of nutritive matter. ses of slow work they may be used but the quantity of chaff should be increased, and a few oats added. Linseed is sometimes given to sick horses ^raw, ground, and boiled. It is supposed to be useful in cases of catarrh. Hay is most in perfection when it is about a twelvemonth old. The horse would prefer it earlier, but it is neither so wholesome nor so nutritive, and often has a purgative quality. When it is about a year old, it retains or should retain somewhat of its green color, its agreeable smell and its pleasant taste. It has undergone the slow process of fermentation, by which the sugar which it contains is developed, and its nutritive quality its fully exer;

cised.

Old hay becomes dry and tasteless, and innutritive and unwholesome. It is a good practice to sprinkle the hay with water in 3

34

THE ORIGINAL
salt

has been dissolved. It is evidently more palathe animal, who will leave the best unsalted hay for that of an inferior quality that has been moistened with brine; and there can be no doubt that the salt very materially assists the progress of digestion. The preferable way of salting hay is to sprinkle it over the different layers as the rick is formed. Of the value of Tares, as forming a portion of the late spring and summer food of the stabled and agricultural They are cut after the pods horse, there can be no doubt. are formed, but a considerable time before the seeds are ripe. < They supply a larger quantity of food for a limited time than almost any other forage-crop. When surfeit-lumps appear on ,the skin, and the horse begins to rub himself against the divisions of the stall, and the legs swell, and the heels threaten to crack, a few tares, cut up with the chaff, or given instead of a portion of the hay, will afford considtable to

which

erable relief. Ten or twelve pounds may be allowed daily, and half that weight of hay subtracted. Rye Grass affords a valuable article of food, but is infeIt is apt to scour, It is not so nutritive. rior to the tare. and, occasionally, and late in the spring, it is injurious to
the horse.
nevertheless,

the tare and the rye grass, but Clothey cannot be obtained. ver hay is, perhaps, preferable to meadow hay for chaff. It will sometimes tempt the sick horse, and may be given

Clover,

is

inferior to

is

useful

when

with advantage to those of slow and heavy work Carrots, this root is held in much esteem. There is none better, nor perhaps so good. When first given it is slightly diuretic and laxative; but as the horse becomes accustomed to it, these effects cease to be produced. They They form a good subalso improve the state of the skin. stitute for grass, and an excellent alterative for horses out
.

of condition.

Potatoes have been given, and with advantage, in their raw state, sliced with the chaff; but, where it has been convenient to boil or steam them, the benefit has been far more Purging has then rarely ensued. Half a dozen evident. horses would soon repay the expense of a steaming boiler
in the saving of provender, without taking into the account their improved condition and capability for work.

HORSE CHARMER.

35

The times of feeding should be as equally divided as con* venience will permit and when it is likely that the horse will be kept longer than usual from home, the nose-bag should invariably be taken. The small stomach of the and if he is suffered to horse is emptied in a few hours remain hungry much beyond his accustomed time, he will afterwards devour his food so voraciously as to distend the stomach and endanger an attack of staggers. Water. This is a part of stable management little regarded bv the farmer. There is nothing in which the different effect of hard and soft water is so evident, as in the stomach and digestive organs of the horse. Hard water, drawn fresh fiomthe well, will assuredly make the coat of ahorse unaccustomed to it stare, and it will not unfrequentHe is injured, however, ly gripe and otherwise injure him. not so much by the hardness of the well water as by its coldness particularly by its coldness in summer, and when it is many degrees below the temperature of the atmosphere. The water in the brook and the pond being warmed by long exposure to the air, as well as having become soft, the horse drinks freely of it without danger. There is a prejudice in the minds of many persons against the horse being fully supplied with water. They think that it injures his wind, and disables him for quick and hard work. If he is galloped, as he too often is, immediately after drinking, his wind may be too often irreparably injured; but if he were oftener suffered to satiate his thirst at the intervals of rest, he would be happier and better. It is a fact unsuspected by those who have not carefully observed the horse, that if he has frequent access to water, he will not drink so much in the courseof the day, as another will do, who, to cool his parched mouth, swallows as fast as he can, and knows not when to stop. On a journey, a horse should be liberally supplied with water. When he is a little cooled, two or three quarts may be given to him, and after that his feed. Before he has finished his corn, two or three quarts more may be offered. He will take no harm if this is repeated three or four times during a long and hot day.
; ;

36

THE ORIENTAL

THE SENSE OF SMELL.

The sense of smell is so much used by the horse, that many have supposed he could be charmed by certain comof peculiar odor. Fancher and others used horsechestnut, origanum, rhodium, and various Oriental mix* tures concocted by quacks, for the purpose of charming the horse. No doubt any thing that is pleasing to the sense of smell in the horse, will please him and so far as you gratify this sense by the application of pleasing aromatics, so far
;

pounds

you gain the confidence and favor of the horse, just as you would do by giving him a good dinner; but that there is any thing about this sense in the horse that can be appealed to or made available by any unnatural or unphilosophical means, is as great a humbug as the celebrated 'love powders' made into lozenges, which green ones are induced to purchase for the purpose of making some favorite lass love them against her will. Dismiss all such nonsense at once, and act upon the hypothesis that there is true philosophy in the mode of accomplishing anything. The horse uses his nose, because he has not hands as

we have,
trunk.

to feel of objects; just as the

elephant uses his

But this continual use of the nose in the horse is not to Since it is his mode of detectbe overlooked or neglected. ing the harmlessness or hurtfulness of any object, you must always submit every thing to this test. If you know a very unsuccessful it is a mere whim in your horse, and way of detecting a steel trap from a coffee mill, still it is his way and you should always satisfy him by letting him smell of every object he desires to, except a steel trap or a pot of snuff. Once his sense of smell tells him that a handkerchief, a halter, a stirrup, a bed blanket, or anything else that attracts his notice and excites his fears will not hurt him, he There will then go to it, or allow you to put it on him. regard to it need be no superstitious notions entertained in it is enough if such results are produced by natural and philosophical principles.

HORSE CHARMER.

37

MANAGEMENT OF THE
This
is

FEET.

to be

the only division of stable management that remains considered, and one sadly neglected by the carter and groom. The feet should be carefully examined every morning, for the shoes may be loose and the horse would have been stopped in the middle of his work ; or the clenches may be raised, and endanger the wounding of his legs for the shoe may begin to press upon the sole or the heel, and bruises of the sole, or corn, may be the result and, the horse having stood so long in the stable, every little increase of heat in the foot, or lameness, will be more readily detected, and serious disease may often be prevented. When the horse comes in at night, and after the harness has been taken off and stowed away, the heels should be Hand-rubbing will be preferable to well brushed out.
;
;

washing, especially in the agricultural horse, whose heels, covered with long hair, can scarcely be dried|again. If the dirt is suffered to acoumulate in that long hair, the heels
will

become sore, and grease will follow ; and if the heels are washed, and particularly during the winter, grease will result from the coldness occasioned by the slow evaporation The feet should be stopped even the feet of the moisture.

Very of the farmer's horse, if he remains in the stable. little clay should be used in the stopping, for it will get Cow-dung is the best stophard and press upon the sole. ping to preserve the feet cool and elastic but before the stopping is applied, the picker should be run around the whole of the foot, between the shoe and the sole, in order to detect any stone that may have insinuated itself there, For the hackor a wound on any other part of the sole. ney and hunter, stopping is indispensable. After several days' hard work it will afford very great relief to take the
;

shoes

off, having put plenty of litter under the horse, or to and the shoes of turn him, if possible, into a loose-box every horse, whether hardly worked or not, should be re" moved or changed once in every three weeks.
;

38

THE ORIENTAL HORSE CHARMER.

POINTS OP A GOOD H'R C E.

be about fifteen and a half hands high the head and clean made wide between the nostrils, and the nostrils themselves large, transparent and open broad in the forehead, eyes prominent, clear and sparkling ears small, neatly set on; neck rather short, and well up large arm or shoulder, well thrown back, and high withers arched and high legs fine, flat, thin, and small boned body round and rather light, though sufficiently large to afford substance when it is needful chest, affording play for the lungs; back short, the hind quarter set on rather obliquely. Any one possessing a horse of this make, and weighing eleven or twelve hundred pounds, may rest assured he is a horse of all work, and a bargain well worth getting hold of.
;

He should
light,

The Age of Horses.

ing a horse's age,
thfe

In relation

to a

new way
:

of tell-

Southern Planter says "A few days ago we met a gentleman from Alabama, who gave us a

piece of information in regard to ascertaining the age of a hore, after he or she has passed the ninth year, which was new to us, and will be, we are sure, to most of our After the horse is nine years old, readers. It is this a wrinkle comes on the eyelid at the upper corner of the lower lid, and every year thereafter, he has one well defined wrinkle for every year over nine. If, for instance, the horse has three wrinkles, he is twelve if four, he is thirteen. Add the number of wrinkles to nine, and you will always So says the gentleman and he is confident it will get it. never fail. As a good many people have horses over nine, it is easily tried. If true, the horse dentist must give
:

up

his trade."

PART
A
ball
;

III.

DISEASES AND THEIR CURE.

TO MIX A BALL. should never weigh over an ounce and a half; it should be an inch in diameter and two to three inches long mix the medicine whatever it may be, with oil and meal flour, or any similar substance. Mix only for a few days at a time, lest they become hard and injure the
torse.
itiioo
I

'>k&mammJj

TO GIVE A BALL.
use an iron or wooden instrument to push it down. Back the horse in the stall, talk to him in a kindly tone all the while, have the ball in the right hand, with the left gently draw out the tonge and hold it on the off side of the mouth, pressing the fingers against the side of the lower jaw. Now with the right hand pass the ball down the throat not losing your hold of it, nor letting it touch the tongue or sides of the mouth, until it reaches the palate, then give it a toss, instantly withdrawing the hand, and give the horse a slight tap under the
chin,

Never

and down

it

will

go

The

is an increased discharge from the nostril, small in quantity, constantly flowing, of a watery character, and a little mucus mingling with it. If a horse is in the highest condition, yet has this small watery constant discharge, and especially from one nostril, no time should be lost in separating him from his companions. Glanders have often been confounded with strangles, and by those who ought to have known better. Strangles

earliest

GLANDERS. symptoms of Glanders

40

THE ORIENTAL

are peculiar to young horses. They have also been confounded with catarrh or cold; but the distinction between them is plain enough. Fever, and loss of appetite and In glanders, there is selsore throat, accompany cold. dom cough of any consequence, and generally no cough
at all.

In a well settled case of glanders it is not worth while, except by way of experiment at a veterinary school, to attempt any remedies. The chances of cure are too remote, and the danger of infection too great. If, however, remedial measures are resorted to, a pure atmosphere is that which should first be tried. Turn out the horse, and, if practicable, on a salt marsh but much caution is requisite, as the grass, and even the fences may receive the glanderous matter; and hardening on them, it may months afterward communicate the disease and there is not yet decided proof that sheep to horses and cattle are not subject to the same malady.

DISEASES OF THE TEETH.

Of

the diseases of the teeth in the horse, we know little. Carious or hollow teeth are occasionally, but not often, Seen but the edges of the grinders, from the wearing off of the enamel, or the irregular growth of the teeth, become rough, and wound the inside of the cheek it is then necessary to adopt a summary, but effectual mode of cure namely, to rasp them smooth. Many bad ulcers have been produced in the mouth by neglect of this. The teeth sometimes grow irregularly in length. They should be reduced to the level of the others with a saw, and occasionally looked to, because the difficulty will reDecayed teeth should be removed to prevent inturn. jury to the other teeth and to the jaw. Fever, cough, catarrhal affections generally, disease of
;
; ;

the eyes,

cutaneous affections, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and general derangement, will frequently be traced by the careful observer to irritation

from teething, in the colt. a rule scarcely admitting of the slightest deviation, that, when young horses are laboring under any febrile affection, the mouth should be examined, and if the
It
is

HORSE CHARMER.

41

tushes are prominent and pushing against the gums, a cut in the form of a cross should be made across upon them. Relief will often be immediate.

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE.

'

The Common

generally sudden in its atInflammation tack. The lids will be found swelled and the eyes parThe inside of the lid will tially closed, and some weeping. be red, some red streaks visible on the white of the eye, and the corner slightly dim. Cooling applications to the eye, as the Goulard's extract or tincture of opium, with mash-diet, and gentle physic, will usually abate the evil; or the inflammation will subside without medical treatis

ment.

POLL-EVIL.
the horse rubbing and sometimes striking his poll against the lower end of the manger, or hanging back in or from the stall and bruising the part with the halter the frequent and painful stretching of the ligaments and muscles by unnecessary tight reining, and, occasionally, from a violent blow on the poll, inflammation ensues, and a swelling appears, hot, tender, and painful. The first thing to be attempted is to abate the inflammation by bleeding, physic, and the application of cold lotions to the part. In a very early period of the case a blister might have considerable effect. Strong purgatives should also be employed. By these means the tumor will sometimes be dispersed. This system, however, must not be pursued too far. If the swelling increases, and the heat and tenderness likewise increase, matter will form in the tumor and then our object should be to hasten its formation by warm fomentations, poultices, or stimulating embrocations. As soon as the matter is formed, which may be known by the softness of the tumor, and before it has time to spread around and eat into the neighboring parts, it should be evacuated. Now comes the whole art of treating poll-evil the opening into the tumor must be so contrived that all the matter shall run out, and continue afterwards to run out as quickly as it is formed, and not collect at the bottom of the ulcer,

From

42
irritating

THE ORIENTAL
and corroding
it.

This can be effected by a seton at the top of the tumor, penetrate through its bottom, and be brought out at the Without side of the neck, a little below the abscess. anything more than this, except frequent fomentation with warm water, in order to keep the part clean, and to obviate inflammation, poll-evil in its early stage will frequently be cured.
alone.

The needle should enter

STRANGLES.
principally incident to young horses. It is preceded by a cough, and can at first be scarcely distinguished from common cough, except that there is more discharge from the nostril, of a yellowish color, mixed with pus, and generally without smell. As soon as the tumor under the jaw is decidedly appaFrom the rent, the part should be actively blistered. thickness of skin, poultices, fomentations, etc., are of little avail. The blister will also abate the internal inflammation and soreness of the throat, and thus lessen the

This

is a" disease

cough and wheezing.

As soon as the swelling is soft on its summit, and evidently contains matter, it should be freely and deeply lanced. The remainder of the treatment will depend on the symptoms. If there is much fever, and evident affection of the chest, and which should carefully be distinguished from the oppression and choking occasioned by the pressure of the tumor, it will be proper to bleed. In the majority of cases, however, bleeding will not only be few cooling medicines, unnecessary, but injurious. as niter, emetic tartar, and perhaps digitalis, may be giv-

en, as the case requires.

PALSY. It commences generally in one hind-leg, or perhaps both are equally affected. The animal can scarcely walk he walks on his fetlocks instead of his soles he staggers at every motion. At length he falls. He is raised with difficulty, or he never rises again. /M The treatment is simple. It should commence with bleeding until the pulse begins to falter or the horse to

HORSE CHARMER.
reel.

43

To this should follow a strong cathartic. The loins should be covered with a mustard poultice frequently renewed. The horse should be warmly clothed, supplied plentifully with mashes, but without a kernel of grain in them and frequent injections administered.
;

MANGE.
After awhile the Is a pimpled or vesicular eruption. vesicles break, or the cuticle and the hair fall off, and there is, as in obstinate surfeit, a bare spot covered with scurf some fluid oozing from the skin beneath, and this changing to a scab, which likewise soon peels off, and This process is attended with conleaves a wider spot. siderable itching and tenderness, and thickening of the skin, which soon becomes more or less folded, or puckerThe mange generally first appears on the neck at ed. the root of the mane, and its existence may be suspected even before the blotches appear, and when there is only considerable itchiness of the part, by the ease with which, the short hair at the root of the mane is plucked out. From the neck it spreads upward to the head, or down* ward to the withers and back, and occasionally extends over the whole carcass of the horse. One cause of it is neglected or inveterate surfeit. Several instances are on record in which poverty of condition, and general neglect of cleanliness, preceded or produced The most common cause is the most violent mange. contagion. Amidst the whole list of diseases to which the horse is exposed, there is not one more highly contagious than mange. If it once gets into a stable, it spreads through it, for the slightest contact seems sufficient for the communication of this noisome complaint. If the same brush and currycomb is used on all the horses, the propagation of mange is assured and horses feeding in the same pasture with a mangy one rarely escape, from the propensity they have to nibble one another. The propriety of bleeding in cases of mange depends on the condition of the patient. If mange is the result of poverty, and the animal is much debilitated, bleeding w ill increase the evil, and will probably deprive the conPhysic, however, is B titution of the power of rallying.

44

THE ORIENTAL

indispensable in every case. But mange in the horse resembles itch in the human being medicine alone will never effect a cure. There must be some local application. Sulphur is indispensable for mange. In an early and not very acute state of mange, equal portions of sulpher, turpentine, and train-oil, gently but well rubbed on the part, will be applied with advantage. tolerably stout brush, or even a curry-comb, lightly applied, should be used, in order to remove the dandriff or scurf. After that, the horse should be washed with strong soap and water as far as the disease has extended and, when he has been thoroughly dried, the ointment should be well rubbed in with the naked hand, or with a piece of flannel. During the application of the ointment, and as soon as the physic has set, an alterative ball or powder should be daily given. If, after some days have passed, no progress should appear to have been made, half a pound of sulphur should be well mixed with a pint of oil of tar, or, if that is not to be obtained, a pint of Barbadoes tar, and the affected parts rubbed, as before. On every fifth or sixth day, the ointment should be washed off with warm soap and water. The progress towards cure will thus be ascertained, and the skin will be cleansed, and its pores, opened for the more effectual application of the oint-

ment.
It will be prudent to give two or three dressings after the horse has been apparently cured, and to continue the alteratives for ten days or a fortnight.

SURFEIT. pimples or eruptions often appear suddenly on the skin of the horse, and especially in the spring of the The disease most frequently appears when the year. skin is irritable during or after the process of moulting, or when it sympathizes with any disorder of the stomach. It has been known to follow the eating of poisonous herbs or mowburnt hay, but, much oftener, it is to be traced to exposure to cold when the skin was previously irritable and the horse heated by exercise. If there is simple eruption, without any marked inflammatory action, alteratives should be resorted to. There

Large


HORSE CHARMER.
45
is no better alterative than that which is in common use, They should pulverized antimony, niter, and sulphur. be given on several successive nights. The night is better than the morning, because the warmth of the stable will cause the antimony and sulphur to act more powerfully on the skin. The horse should be warmly clothed half an hour's walking exercise should be given, an such green feed as additional rug thrown over him can be procured should be used in moderate quantities, and the chill should be taken from the water. Should the eruption continue or assume a more violent character, bleeding and aloes must be had recourse to, but neither should be carried to any extreme. The physic having set, the alteratives should again be had recourse to, and attention should be paid to the comfort and diet of the horse.

TETANUS OR LOCKED JAW.

horse, for a day or two, does not appear to be quite well he docs not feed as usual he partly chews his food, and drops it; and he gulps his water. The ears are erect, pointed forward, and immoveable ; if the horse is spoken to, or threatened to be struck, they change not their position. The treatment of tetanus is simple the system must he tranquillized. The grand agent in accomplishing this is copious bleeding. Dhe animal should be bled until he Twenty pounds of falls, or the pulse evidentiy falters. blood have been safely taken in such cases. The profuse bleeding will generally relax the muscles of the jaw, so that a dose of physic can be administered. Eight or ten drachms of aloes should be given. If the remission of the spasm is slight, there is another purgativenot so certain in its action, but more powerful when it does act the farina of the Croton nut. Clysters will be useful in assisting the action of the purgative. solution of Epsom salts will constitute the safest ane best injection. As to medicine, opium is not only a valuable drug, but it is that on which alone dependence can be placed in this disease. It will be borne in doses, from half a drachm to two drachms.
; ;

The

46

THE ORIERTAL
Gentle friction with the hand along the course of th aud the application of an opiate liniment, is highly

spine,

It

useful.

WARTS. some caustics available, but frequently they must be removed by an operation. If the root is very

There

are

small, it may be snipped asunder, close to the skin, with a pair of scissors, and touched with the lunar caustic. If the pedicle or stem is somewhat larger, a ligature of waxed silk should be passed firmly round it, and tightened every day.

BOTS. caused by the egg of the Gad-fly, being licked from the skin of the horse and thus conveyed to the stomach, where they are hatched, cling to the stomach, and are finally evacuated. Some writers, as Youatt and others, contend that they are incurable, while others recommend fresh blood, sweetened milk, or any thing that will nauseate slightly. writer in the Eastern Agriculturist recommends giving a few sheaves of Barley. It is seldom I pay any attention to them, but when I do, it is in the use of some simple remedy, like sweetened milk, sometimes followed by half a pint of ground^mus-

Are

tard seed.

RABIES, OR MADNESS.
a fearful disease of the nervous system. It results from the bite of a rabid animal, and, most commonly, of the companion and friend of the horse the coach-dog.
is

This

^.The horse goes out

;

work, and, for a certain time and distance, performs it as well as he has been accustomed to do then he stops all at once trembles,
to his usual

heaves, paws, staggers and falls. When the disease can be clearly connected with a previous bite, the sooner the animal is destroyed the better, for there is no cure. If the symptoms bear considerable resemblance to rabies, although no bite is suspected, the horse should at least be slung, and the medicine, if any

HORSE CHARMER.
is

47

administered, given in the form of a drink, and with the hand well-protected; for if it should be scratched in balling the horse, or the skin should have been previously broken, the saliva of the animal is capable of communicating the disease. If a horse is bitten by a dog under suspicious circumstances, he should be carefully examined, and every wound, and even the slightest scratch, well burned with the lunar caustic (nitrate of silver). The scab should be removed and the operation repeated on the third day. The hot iron does not answer so well, and other caustics
are not so manageable. part of the wound.

The

caustic

must reach every

FITS OR EPILEPSY. only hope of cure consists in discovering the cause of the fits and an experienced practioner must be conGenerally speaking, sulted, if the animal is valuable. however, the cause is so difficult to discover, and the habit of having fits is so soon formed, and these fits will so frequently return, even at a great distance of time, that

The

will cease to use

he who values his own safety, or the an epileptic horse.

lives of his family,

GALLS ON HORSES,

&C.

of the best means to prevent galls on horses, is to wash the parts most liable to injury with whisky, saturated with alum. The following is an excellent receipt for an ointment for wounds and sores of all kinds, and for horses, when galled by the saddle or collar, and also for broken chiblains Take of honey 12 ounces, yellow beeswax four ounces, compound galbanum plaster six ounces, sweet oil half a pint. Put the honey into a jar by the fire, then melt the other ingredients and mix them together, to be spread very thin on linen, and changed twice a day.
:

One

HEAVES. This disease is so well known that nothing need be said of its symptoms, causes or effects. Twenty remedies at least are known to the Veterinary Physician, and probably every farmer knows of five. About the best I know

4$

THE ORIENTAL HORSE CHARME*.

of is a mixture of equal parts of Balsam Copavia and Balsam of Fir, with enough, of magnesia to enable you to make into balls about the size of a crab apple and give one every night and morning, until a cure is effected.

TO CURE WORMS.
are indicated by a dull, sleepy appearance of the eyes by the ruff appearance of the hair and want of gloss, and by the horse losing flesh without any other apparent cause. He also shows less inclination to eat, and if too
;

Worms

long neglected, worms will often pass through the bowels and be discharged in the dung. pint of neats foot oil followed in about 24 hours with half pint of castor oil is the best remedy known. Two drachms of Tartar Emetic, mixed with a little ground glass or filings of tin, compose an^excellent remedy.

COLIC.

may be known from the coldness of the horses ears and legs, and by his general uneasiness, getting up and laying down often, looking
appearance of this disease

The

around at his flanks, etc., etc. Take the proportions of 1 oz. black pepper to half pint of whisky, mix, shake and rub on the belly of the horse.

CRACKED HEELS.

Take

two drachms of alum, dissolve in a pint of water and bathe the part affected.

FLATULENT

COLIC.
dis-

The

aromatic spirit of ammonia, one or two ounces, solved in a pint of warm water, is a good remedy.

DIARRHEA, DYSENTERY, OR LOOSENESS. drachms of opium, according to the power of the disease is an excellent and safe astringent.

One

to three

3477-125 Lot 50

0^

%.

**

/'